Introducing teeth whitening kits
Eyes may be the window to the soul, but your smile is your personality personified. And keeping it bright and white is something many of us strive for. These days, with so many teeth whitening kits to help, it’s easier than ever to get a brighter, whiter smile. But that can also be the problem. With so many choices, how do you know which is the best teeth whitening kit for you?
In this article, we’re going to break down how a home teeth whitening kit works. We hope that after you’ve read it, you’ll better understand whitening kits so you can choose the best teeth whitening kit for you.
Types of teeth whitening kits and how they work
There are basically two types of teeth whitening kits:
Home teeth whitening kit
You’ll be able to get this type of teeth whitening kit online and in shops, without having to visit your dental professional. You could choose one that includes gels and whitening trays, or an LED teeth whitening kit.
With a whitening kit that includes gel and a tray, you’ll add the gel to the tray then place it in your mouth for a certain amount of time each day. The gels usually contain a low level of hydrogen peroxide (maximum 0.1%) or PAP, which safely works to make your teeth whiter over time. Some people get on with this sort of whitening kit really well, whereas others find the gel a bit messy.
An LED teeth whitening kit works in much the same way, however, it will include an LED light that speeds up the whitening process. The LED light will be attached to a type of tray that you’ll add the gel to, before putting it in your mouth.
We’ve developed our Max White Ultimate LED Whitening Kit slightly differently. Rather than a tray that you’ll have to add gel to, it comes with a whitening pen that contains a serum that you’ll apply directly onto each tooth, before wearing the specially developed LED light tray. Our serum dries really quickly, so there’s no mess to deal with, and you’ll only have to wear the comfit fit tray for 10 minutes, twice a day. The LED light is also powered by your smartphone, so there’s no need to worry about replacing batteries either.
Professional whitening kit
The second kind of home teeth whitening kit is one that you’ll get from a dental professional. This type of whitening kit includes gels and trays that you’ll usually wear for a long period of time (usually around 1 hour), or overnight. The gels contain a higher level of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, which is why you can only get it directly from a dental professional.
The science behind a teeth whitening kit
As we mentioned above, a home teeth whitening kit will include either hydrogen peroxide or PAP. This is the magic ingredient that gives you whiter teeth. Although it’s not actually magic, it’s just very clever science.
Hydrogen peroxide and PAP release an oxygen molecule that penetrates below your enamel surface and causes a chemical reaction with stains. This chemical reaction resolves staining, both on your tooth surface and below the enamel, to give you whiter teeth without harming the structure of your teeth.
The really important bit about this chemical reaction is the amount of time it has to do its work. That means that the longer it’s in contact with your teeth, the better the result. However, you should always use the product exactly as directed.
Risks and benefits of using a teeth whitening kit
A home teeth whitening kit is generally safe to use, but it’s good to know about the benefits and risks.
Benefits
- This first one is obvious – a brighter, whiter smile over time.
- This is usually a cost effective option to whitening your teeth.
- Our LED whitening kit is super simple and quick to use (just 10 minutes, twice a day).
- Our LED whitening kit is safe for your enamel.
- Our whitening serum is mess-free – it dries super quickly and sticks to your teeth.
- You can boost your whitening by using our whitening serum overnight .
- Because our LED light is powered by your smartphone, you’ll never need to change a battery and you can catch up with emails or your socials while you whiten.
Risks:
- If you buy a whitening kit online, choose one from a reputable brand that contains the allowed levels of hydrogen peroxide (0.1%) and also comes with a precision applicator to make applying the gel or serum directly to your teeth easy. Doing this means you’ll avoid getting any of the gel or serum onto your gums, which might cause irritation or sensitivity.
- For a home teeth whitening kit that contains a higher level of hydrogen peroxide, it’s crucial to get this from a registered dental professional as they’ll be able to let you know if it’s safe for you.
Choosing the best teeth whitening kit for you
Everyone has different needs and expectations from a whitening kit, so no one solution is best for everyone. However, when it comes to deciding on the best teeth whitening kit for you, here are some things to consider:
Results
How well does the whitening kit work and how much whiter would you like your teeth? Dental professional home whitening kits will provide great results because of the higher hydrogen peroxide content, but a kit, like our Max White Ultimate LED Whitening Kit will also provide great results and reverses up to 20 years of stains*.
Ease of use
We all lead busy lives, so you’ll want to look for a home teeth whitening kit that’s easy to use. While most whitening kits come with gels, some people find these a bit fiddly and messy. Our teeth whitening kit comes with a whitening pen that contains a fast-drying serum that you paint onto each tooth.
Value for money
While the thought of using a dental professional’s at home whitening kit is appealing, this can be more expensive. Using a good quality whitening kit from a reputable brand will generally cost less and give you great, lasting results. Choose your kit carefully and remember that if a price looks too good to be true, sometimes it is.
Proven results
Even though results will vary from person to person, getting a home whitening kit that claims clinically proven results can go a long way towards assuring you that you’re making the right choice.
Safe
The last thing you want to do is cause damage to your teeth or gums. That’s why you should look for a teeth whitening kit that’s safe for your enamel.
At Colgate, we’ve considered all of these points when creating our Ultimate LED Whitening Kit. It’s mess-free, easy to use, enamel safe and can give you clinically proven results, making it great value for money.
*Stains caused by food and drink with 2 weeks continued use, 2x/day.
Maintaining the results of your teeth whitening kit
You’ll want to maintain your dazzling white smile after you’ve used a home whitening kit. It’s a lot easier to do than you might think. Here are some tips:
Use a teeth whitening toothpaste to continue removing stains. You might want to try our Max White Ultimate Toothpaste which, unlike regular whitening toothpaste that just removes surface stains, it safely penetrates enamel to remove deep-set stains caused by food and drink.
Use a top-up whitening solution like our Max White Overnight Whitening Pen that whitens while you sleep. This is the same pen that comes with our LED whitening kit and it’s safe to use overnight to boost your whitening results.
Avoid foods and drinks that can stain your teeth like tea, coffee, red wine, curries and berries. We put together a handy guide of 5 foods and drinks that can stain your teeth and what you can do to prevent it. Read it here.
